Paradise Lost
by Seripa
Summary: A girl with a tragic past that hits a little too close to home. Can Hakkai open up his heart once more as the Sanzo party continue west? Is there a connection between her and the revival of Gyumaoh. Hakkaixoc. Rating may change.ON HIATUS


Hello, here is what I hope to be my second long running fan fiction since the beyblade story on my profile was written by a friend and the DBZ on isn't really going anywhere. I have to point out that although Spirit isn't being abandoned I needed to get this out of my system. I'm at a really hard part in Spirit at the moment and have a total writers block, but I WILL update once I get rid of the block. Promise!

Disclaimer: I do not own Saiyuki or anything to do with Saiyuki though I do have the first series on DVD. YAY ,me! The only thing I do own is the original character in this story but I won't say her name now cuz it'll kinda ruin the whole surprise.

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The Sanzo party careered into the bustling town seemingly without a care in the world. They stopped and got out of the dusty green jeep, surveying their surroundings. There was a flash of light and a small white dragon appeared in place of the vehicle they had been travelling in. He fluttered lazily over to Hakkai and settled on his left shoulder, preening his wings to remove some of the mud that had accumulated.

"I think you need a wash my friend." Hakkai said.

He smiled absentmindedly as he reached up to pat Hakuryuus' head, earning him a small mew of appreciation. With his other hand Hakkai tried to tame the chestnut strands that threatened his vision but after failing miserably in pushing them out the way he proceeded instead to push the monocle covering his right eye further up the bridge of his nose.

A bead of sweat trickled down his cheek as the midday sun beat down upon his skin.

Sanzo flicked the dust off his creamy robes with disdain then pushed one hand through his golden hair that had begun to plaster itself to his forehead letting out a frustrated sigh as he did so. His eyebrow twitched dangerously and every muscle in his body tensed as the inevitable argument broke out behind him.

"GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME YOU GAY WATER SPRITE!"

"GAY! DON'T YOU LABEL ME IN THE SAME CATEGORY AS YOU, DUMB MONKEY, IT'S NOT LIKE I'M ENJOYING THIS PHYSICAL CONTACT BUT I HAVE TO TEACH YOU A LESSON. THAT CHOCOLATE BAR WAS MINE, I'D BEEN SAVING IT FOR WHEN WE STOPPED, AND YOU HAD NO RIGHT TO RUMMAGE THROUGH MY STUFF AND EAT IT!"

Sanzo pulled out a packet of cigarettes, his hands trembling with anger. He flipped up the top and cringed at the site of the lone stick of tobacco rolling around inside. He pulled it out and placed it in his mouth, roughly crushing the empty packet in his hand. His hand reached into his robes again, this time removing a lighter. He brought it up to his mouth and flicked the lid open with his thumb, a small tendril of smoke began to rise into the still air and Sanzo's muscles instantly relaxed, though a look of annoyance was still etched on his face. He turned around to survey the scene before him. Gojyo had Goku in a headlock and Goku had a hold of the Half demons crimson locks and was pulling hard. Their ruffled clothes showed the signs of their short physical struggle that had ensued in the few minutes since they had arrived. They continued to push and shove each other. The short brunette let out a short cry as the taller man stepped harshly on his foot.

Hakkai edged forwards to toward the intertwined demons. Hakuryuu jumped off his shoulder sensing the impending danger. He took to hovering just above the large backpack containing their scant supplies and the clothes they had brought with them.

"Do you have to fight like this all the time? Aren't you guys hot enough in this heat? Hakkai asked defeatedly.

To re establish the peace before shots were fired Hakkai grabbed both Gojyo and Goku by their dishevelled collars and pried them apart. They continued to scramble for each other like small children as Hakkai demonstrated surprising strength at keeping them separated.

"Hakuryuu!...Goku please stop swinging like that." Hakkai tried to raise his voice over the increasingly crass insults, "Hakuryuu, can you get the you know what from the bag, it just at the top."

Hakuryuu stuck his head into the top of the bag and mewed as he pulled out a relatively small chocolate bar with his tiny jaws and fluttered over to the struggle. Hakkai let go of Goku and Gojyo, pushing them away as he did so. In that split second he stepped directly in between the two to prevent the fight starting again. Hakuryuu perched once again on his shoulder and passed him the chocolate bar which he promptly thrust into Gojyo's hands. A sigh of exasperation left his lips as he did so. _It's too hot for this._

Goku opened his mouth to protest but was cut off by an abrupt thwack to the back of his head. He clutched it and turned around to seek out his attacker though he already knew who it was. Sanzo stood there, fan held menacingly in one hand, gun in the other, cigarette still perched between his pursed lips, brow furrowed in anger. This unfortunate movement had once again caused a large amount of his blonde locks to plaster themselves to his sweat covered forehead, slightly ruining the effect he had been vying for. Slipping his Smith and Wesson back in his robes he pushed his hair once again off his face.

"You damn monkey, we are all aware of the fact that you're hungry so shut your trap. And you.." he pointed at Gojyo who was in the process of straightening out his clothes "All that over a piece of chocolate your just as bad as him, I don't know why you guys are here I could have finished this long ago if you weren't constantly distracting us, getting us into trouble or insisting on saving some pathetic damsel in distress."

Goku and Gojyo looked blankly at the furious priest, Hakkai just stood and smiled, not wanting to get involved in this particular argument.

Sanzo let out a low incoherent mumble about wishing he was on his own, then took a deep breath to try and calm his nerves.

"Hakkai, we need an inn to stay in for the night, and someone is going to have to go and get supplies at some point, but first things first, wait her. ALL of you." Sanzo finished, looking particularly at Goku who had a habit of wandering off at the smell of meat buns.

The Sanzo did nothing more than walk about twenty yards to a small stand on the edge of the market that was selling cigarettes but he kept checking over at the group to make sure they remained where they were. He pulled out his ATM card and handed it to the stalls owner, pointing at the branded he wanted and indicating with his finger how many he was after. It appeared to be too much effort to talk unnecessarily in this heat, especially after having to tell them off again. The old man handed back the ATM card along with Sanzo's cigarettes and smiled, thanking him for his custom.

Sanzo strolled slowly back over to the group, he felt slightly more relaxed with the knowledge that he at least wouldn't run out of cigarettes that night.

Goku looked up at Sanzo with puppy dog eyes full of hope. He saw Sanzo cringe at him but knew that he was going to give in now he had more cigarettes.

"Hey Sanzo… can we go eat now, I'm REALLY hungry?"

A well-timed growl emitted from Goku's stomach emphasised his point further. Gojyo for once didn't remark on this predictable comment since he was also feeling the begins of pangs of hunger. Even after the chocolate bar that Hakkai had given him, he still hadn't really eaten since last night. The chocolate had actually made him more hungry since it had painfully reminded him of just how empty his stomach was, however he wasn't Goku and had resolved to wait until they could actually get a meal before saying he was hungry.

"I think it might be a good idea to get some food before we find an inn Sanzo. I have to say I'm quite hungry too." Hakkai remarked.

"Fine, but it doesn't mean to say you can stuff yourself silly" Sanzo said.

His comment fell on deaf ears as Goku did a very loud and energetic victory dance around Hakkai and Gojyo.

They all started to look around for somewhere to eat, Goku, too distracted by thoughts of food, even agreed to carry the backpack.

The town was an average size for the sort of places they had encountered since their journey began. It was set directly between a vast and arid desert through which they had just travelled and a thick and luscious forest that was their next destination. The main street that stretched the length of the town was bustling with activity, even the side streets that led to most of the houses had people running down them carry goods or ferrying small children home. The main street wasn't too narrow but the large number of people crowding it made the whole place seem smaller. The aroma of fresh vegetables and just baked bread mingled with the noise of the vendors advertising their wares overwhelmed the senses of the group as they moved into the throng of people from their position away from the main part of the market. Goku eyed every piece of food hungrily and visibly drooled as they passed a busy noodle stall, the vendor there slipping some freshly made noodles into a bowl and handing it to a boy of about ten who had to reach on tiptoes to accept his lunch. His mother smiling contentedly as she paid the man. A scraggly dog wound around the feet of everyone, a string of sausages clenched firmly in its jaw, followed by a large and grumpy looking old man who had considerably more difficulty in getting through the crowd, shouting for the dog to stop. It made no attempt to do so and instead disappeared down a small alleyway much to the exasperation of the man. Gojyo smiled at that sight imagining momentarily what Sanzo would look like if he ever became that fat. His amusement must have showed on his face since Hakkai looked at him strangely.

"Can't you keep your perversion under control for a little while?" he said.

Gojyo spluttered in surprise. "I WASN'T thinking perverted thoughts. It was just funny is all."

Hakkai looked unconvinced but pressed the matter no further, is attention was diverted to a large entranceway to their left. A worn sign hanging above the door indicated that they could get food there. Goku jumped up and down in anticipation and was about to dive into the restaurant only to feel a firm hand clamp down on his shoulder.

"You stupid monkey, jumping in and startling everyone isn't going to get you your food any quicker, especially since I have the money. Walk in like the rest of us."

Goku, rather than looking dejected, smiled and followed Sanzo into the restaurant, glad that for once Sanzo hadn't smacked him around the head with his paper fan to stop him doing something. Hakkai and Gojyo followed close behind, engaged in a conversation about how the townspeople were so high spirited in such times.

"Don't relax just because these people haven't had any problems yet, you know all too well trouble follows us wherever we go." Sanzo remarked from in front of them.

Hakkais' smile faltered for a split second at the thought of the townspeople suffering due to their presence but he reminded himself they would protect them if it came to that. The group was escorted to a large round table in the rustic looking tavern. The people inside took no notice of the group of strangers that had just entered, the lively conversations that were carrying on permeated every corner of the room. Waitresses swam through the sea of people carrying trays laden with delicious looking food and disappearing into the back of the establishment with mounds of empty plates.

Once seated, the four men began to scan the menus that had been given to them on entry. Goku began to salivate at the mere thought of all the food he could order. A busty blond haired waitress leaned over the table with a cheerful smile.

"Are you ready to order?" She asked happily.

Gojyo perked up at the sight before him. A seductive smile spread across his face.

" Honey, I know exactly what you can give me but it certainly isn't on this menu." He purred to her.

Goku made gagging noises from where he was sitting and Sanzo and Hakkai just sighed with exasperation. Gojyo went to say something else but was cut off by Hakkais' hand covering his mouth.

"We are ready to order, thank you."

The waitress took a deep breath to try and remove the blush on her cheeks. Gojyo, saw the pink tinge and smirked. _Tonight will be a good night._

Sanzo opened his mouth to give his order but was cut off by Goku's excited voice.

"OK. I'll have three bowls of fried noodles, twenty spring rolls, a plate of meat buns and a bowl of chow mein and chop suey and a drink of water, that's all. Actually can you make that ten spring rolls. Yup that's all."

The waitress stared in disbelief at the order she had just written.

"I told you not to go stuffing yourself." Sanzo growled as he brought his fan down hard on the brunette's scalp.

"But, Sanzo I did. I only asked for ten spring rolls instead of twenty."

Sanzo growled but decided to leave it be, as long as it kept Goku quiet he wasn't going to complain.

Hakkai and Gojyo both ordered a bowl of fried noodles and they got some sake between them. Sanzo asked for beef teriyaki and some green tea. Sanzo and Gojyo both took out a new cigarette and lit them, the smoke rose and was blown away by the ceiling fan that was rotating slowly creating a welcome draft. All four of them were covered in a light sheen of sweat from the length of time spent in the sun though they had been spared from sunburn thanks to the tattered cloaks they had donned. The draft cooled them down enough that redness on their faces disappeared and Sanzo's hair no longer clung to his forehead.

Not long afterwards the blond waitress returned laden with food closely followed by too black haired girls who appeared to be twins who were also carrying their fair share of the food. Gojyo grinned once again at the thought of the night he was going to spend in this town. The three girls put all the food into the middle of the table, shifting the ashtray slightly and removing the small vase of flowers that had occupied the middle to make room for the numerous plates and bowls of food.

Goku practically dived into the food, immediately hauling the meat buns his way. Hakkai thanked the girls and Sanzo gave a small nod of appreciation, Gojyo gave another seductive smile that had all three girls blushing before they moved away to attend to others in the room. They all dug into their food, satisfying their hunger kept even Goku quiet for a good amount of time. All four of them ordered more until they were finally full an hour later. Sanzo handed his card over to one of the twins that had served them earlier, not bothering to look at the bill before he did so. Since it wasn't his money he couldn't really care less.

When they stepped back into the busy street, there were no less people than there had been before and it was still sweltering, but the sun had sunk slightly lower in the western sky and they all felt slightly more contented with full bellies. They had even agreed to stay in town all of the next day, leaving in the morning the day after next. Since it wasn't just a one night stop over before they moved on Sanzo had refused to stay anywhere unless they could have separate rooms, since relaxing for him meant spending time away from the others not with them. Since the main part of town appeared to be perpetually noisy they opted to choose an inn situated in a quieter, more residential part of the town nearer the forest. The blond waitress had recommended it shortly before agreeing to meet Gojyo there that evening, much to the dismay of the others.

They found themselves looking up at the sign that told them they had reached their destination. The place appeared from the outside at least to be the best possible place they could have chosen to stay. The windows gleamed so much that they actually reflected like mirrors. The sign above the door read "Nemuri Inn" in bold black lettering, convinced they would be sleeping soundly that night they pushed the front door open and strolled into the reception area. The whole place smelt fresh and clean and although it was rustic the whole place gave them the feeling that everything was new. The middle aged woman behind the counter gave them a warm smile as they approached the polished oak desk. Hakkai stepped forward and moved to the front of the group since he was usually the one to deal with these things.

"Are you gentlemen looking for a room?"

"Can we have four singles for two nights please?"

"I think I can manage that" she said cheerfully.

The woman looked through the guestbook briefly.

"I have three single rooms and one with a double bed, is that all right?"

Gojyo spoke up, "I'm taking the double." He said matter of factly.

"You disgust me." Sanzo grimaced as he brought another cigarette to his lips.

"As a REAL man I have urges something you couldn't understand" Gojyo told him smugly.

He regretted it instantly as he found himself staring down the barrel of a gun.

"You wanna repeat that, letch." Sanzo murmured maliciously.

"No, I'm good." The half demon replied rather timidly.

It was Sanzo's turn to look smug as he placed his gun back in his robe. The woman was stunned by the scene before her but took Hakkai's apology and his explanation that it was a frequent occurrence and that Gojyo was unlikely to get shot. Smiling once more she handed the room keys to the four as Hakkai signed the book for them.

"My name is Kairi. If you have any problems then I'm around most of time. If you come downstairs in the morning you can ask for some breakfast and someone, probably me will bring it up to your room."

While she had been talking they had followed her up a flight of stairs onto a narrow corridor lit by oil lamps in brackets.

"These are your rooms. They're the only ones on this floor so you won't be disturbed. The double's on the end. Have a nice stay."

The four said thank you to her retreating figure then moved to their respective doors. With hands hovering above the handles and the keys already halfway turned in the locks they all paused as Hakkai spoke up.

"I suppose everyone already has things they want to do with the remainder of the day, but we need some more supplies, I have the list right here."

Hakkai reached into the pocket of his beige trousers and dragged out a crumpled slip of paper. Gojyo reached back to his door in an attempt to escape before he was inevitably commandeered. With a mischievous glint in his eye, Hakkai turned to his red haired friend who froze when he realised he'd been caught.

"Gojyo, seeing as your plans are for this evening you won't mind shopping for me will you, I see your eager to put your things in you room so you can get going for me."

"Dammit Hakkai, why d'you always have to pick me."

"I just know that your such a good friend you wouldn't let me down."

Goku sniggered as Gojyo growled in frustration.

"Fine, I'll go...but the ape's coming with me."

Goku stopped laughing and glared at Gojyo but before he had a chance to throw an insult, Sanzo entered the conversation.

"A good idea, you idiots leave me alone for the afternoon, peace and quiet isn't something I've had in a long while." He spoke, almost sounding enthusiastic at the prospect of an afternoon free of pathetic arguments.

Goku and Gojyo gave in surprisingly easily to Hakkai's shopping request when they remembered that Sanzo was giving them a short vacation in this town. Instead they took to slumping their shoulders in defeat and shuffling into their rooms after they had taken the list, grumbling as they went. Sanzo opened his door shortly afterwards and stepped inside the room, rolling his shoulders to try and ease the tension in his muscles as he pushed the door shut behind him.

Hakkai chuckled to himself as he stood in the now empty corridor. The door in front of him was beautifully crafted, made of oak. He ran his fingers slowly over the knot in the wood before, turning his key in the lock, the dull thunk told him he could open the door and he wrapped his hand around the cold metal of the handle pushing it down. The door swung open with surprising ease considering how much it probably weighed.

He walked in, pulling the rucksack with him, though it contained everyone's belongings he always seemed to be the one looking after it when they stopped anywhere. _They probably see me as some nagging mother figure at time, I certainly get lumbered with all the cleaning and cooking, not that any of them know how to cook._ He looked around the room. It was small but cosy, even with the heat outside, the room still remained cool. There was a single bed covered in plain white linen, pushed against the far wall by the window. At the end of the bed was a comfortable looking armchair with a striped red and green pattern. It was one of the few decorated thing in the room. The small bed stand had a vase containing wildflowers and a clock hung precariously on the wall by the door, ticking monotonously. A door opposite the bed led to a bathroom containing a sink, toilet and bath. Hakkai left the backpack at the foot of the bed by the chair, then flopped back onto the bed, the bed sheets crumpling underneath him. He let out a sigh as he felt some of the tension from their continuous travels simply ebb away as he lay there. An excited Kyu brought him back to his senses as Hakuryuu finished circling the room, landing unceremoniously on Hakkai's stomach.

_I have the whole afternoon free, so I think I'll go for a walk, especially since I don't have to worry too much about demon interference._

"Hey Hakuryuu, how about checking out the forest? We might even find somewhere to go for a swim, you never know."

Hakuryuu mewed excitedly and took to the air again, circling the room energetically. Hakkai propped himself up on his elbows and looked at the clock on the wall. The second hand moved jerkily around the face, it was still early in the afternoon so he'd have plenty of time to himself. Two doors slammed out in the hallway and the sound of footsteps echoed the length of the corridor. He looked out of the window into the street below in time to see Gojyo and Goku emerging, already in the midst of some pointless argument. _Sanzo might even be in a good mood if he's had an afternoon free from them, though maybe that's asking too much._ He stood up slowly and stretched himself, reaching towards the ceiling, stopping only when he heard an almost comforting crack in his lower back. _All this driving always gives me a lot of grief, I'm not an old man but I'll be all hunched over soon enough._

He walked slowly out into the hallway, Hakuryuu fluttered down to perch on his shoulder as they made their way towards the stairs. He stopped briefly out side of Sanzo's room. _Is there really any point in saying where I'm going? He wouldn't care if I told him. _He shrugged to know one in particular as he carried on the conversation in his head, then ambled down the stairs into the reception area.

Once again he was back under the glare of the afternoon sun, baking his skin. He realised as he walked slowly down the street towards the forest that it probably would have been a good idea to change into something a little more suitable for the weather, the green top was once again beginning to cling to his muscled body, giving him the appearance of someone who had slipped on there clothes after a shower without bothering to dry off first.

Hakkai was by now standing on the edge of the forest, the road from the town continued off into the menagerie of trees, but Hakkai decided instead, to take the footpath that appeared to run parallel with the road for a while. _The quieter option, I won't be disturbed by everyone travelling from village to village now._ He set off down the path at a leisurely pace, revelling in the sound of all the wildlife surrounding him. _This whole place appears untouched by the problems across the rest of Shangri la. I wonder if demons are acting normally here._ Hakkai was distracted from his thoughts when he saw something shimmer to his left. He stepped off the path and pushed his way through the bushes until he stepped out into a clearing, there in front of him was a crystal clear pool. It spanned the length and width of the clearing and the surface was so still it appeared to be a mirror, but Hakkai didn't get a proper look around before he was diverted by Hakuryuus' excited squeaks as he dived into the water and began splashing around in the shallows by a tall cluster of reeds. Hakkai laughed and bent down at the edge, cupping some water in his hand and sending it hurtling towards his tiny white companion.

It was as he made this move however that something caught his eye. Something glinted in the sunlight from behind a bush on the other side of the clearing. Suspicious of what it could be he took up a defensive stance and edged warily towards it. He dropped his guard however, when he finally reached the object. He took a step back out of surprise. The glint had come from what appeared to be a katana though the blade was almost completely gone, as though it had been snapped in two. His gaze moved slowly up the hilt to look at what was holding it. Though the whole thing looked to be a bloody mess, the face was visible enough to determine what he was looking at. _That face, this is a woman, but she looks dead….SHIT, no wait a sec… she's still breathing….

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And there you have it. The first chapter of my new fan fiction. I hope you liked it. Please Read and review!


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